Critique of the National Cirriculum in Britain

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Critique in a policy document

During this essay I am going to look at one area of our educational system and discuss in detail the features of this policy. I have chosen to look at, in detail the National Curriculum, which was progressively introduced into the Britain in 1989. I want to get an insight into the way the National Curriculum has changed and the ways in which it now gives pupils an extra advantage at getting the best out of their education. The National Curriculum delivers the information pupils need to know in a balanced and manageable way, but at the same time it is hard enough to challenge them. I am going to also look at Japan?s Educational policy and see what advantages they give to pupil?s, I will then compare the two policies.

The National Curriculum is split up into stages, these stages are determined by age groups, key stage 1 ranges from ages 5-7 which is the year group 1 and 2, then there is key stage 2 which ranges in ages 7-11 this is year groups 3-6. Key stages 3 and 4 are secondary stages, so at key stage 3 the pupils are 11-14. At the final stage of the pupils development through the National Curriculum, key stage 5 they are 14-16, at this stage they get more choice in which areas of the curriculum they want to continue in. However some subjects which are part of the National Curriculum such as, english, maths and science are compulsory. At each stage expectations are set as to pupils performance levels. Targets are laid out for programmes of study for pupils. The national curriculum helps the school create a working relationship, not only with the pupils but also with the parents. The curriculum is a way to create many more opportunities for all levels of achievement. It can help with building on certain strengths in a pupils ability. When we consider the different structures to which the curriculum can take on we must look at the way in which the information set out through the curriculum is put across to the pupils through content and organization. David Scott a Professor of Educational Leadership and Learning at the University of Lincoln?s International Institute for Educational Leadership. He is an expert in curriculum studies, David Scott identifies and depicts six curriculum ideologies. These are Foundationalism, Conventionalism, Instrumentalism, Technical Rationality, Critical Pedagogy and Post-modernism.

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